1335.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



9 



From Radcliff's Report on the Agriculture of Flanders. 

 FEEDING HORSES IN FLANDERS, 



Eight horses perform the entire work of the 200 

 acres, and are in the highest possible condition. 

 They are of the most compact kind of Flemish 

 horse, and do not exceed 15^ hands, in height; 

 chiefly roan and chestnut in color. As the banks 

 of the river supply good hay, in this district they 

 are indulged with that species of food, which is 

 not the case In other parts of Flanders; but they 

 are also fed upon straw, chiefly of rye, and upon 

 oats with chopped straw in every feed, and after 

 every feed, a bucket of water, richly whitened with 

 rye, or oat. meal. A vessel oi this composition is 

 in every stable, nor are the horses suffered to have 

 any other drink. The quantum of food in the 24 

 hours for each horse, in the winter, is 15 lbs. of 

 hay, 10 lbs. sweet straw, and 8 lbs. of oats; in 

 summer, clover is substituted for hay; the other 

 feeding remains the same; and the white water is 

 never omitted: on this they place a chief reliance. 

 The allowance of oats is but moderate, and yet 

 the horses are in superior condition; the chopped 

 straw contributes much to this, in converting, by 

 the mastication necessary, every grain of corn to 

 nutriment. The use of it is so universally approved 

 throughout Flanders, that in every town it. is sold 

 by retail, and if generally adopted with us, it could 

 not fail to improve the condition of the working 

 horses, and lessen the expense of their proven- 

 der. 



In Flanders, a farmer will work fifty acres with 

 two horses; and by the regularity of his care and 

 keep, will preserve their condition. In Ireland, 

 the great wheat farmer of Fingal, upon a similar 

 extent, will keep four times the number, fed more 

 expensively, but not so judiciously, always over- 

 Worked and always poor. Some of these farmers, 

 upon 100 acres, keep sixteen horses in their em- 

 ploy, and there have been instances of three- 

 fourths of that number being lost within the year 

 by hardship and disease. By these means the 

 profits of a farm are consumed without benefit to 

 the farmer; and what would reasonably support 

 and enrich him, is squandered upon supernumera- 

 ry horses. This special circumstance, not the 

 high rent, keeps the tenant in indigence and diffi- 

 culty. If landlords interferred to procure for their 

 tenantry a good description of working horse, and 

 encouraged them to use him properly, and feed 

 him well, it would tend more to their advantage 

 than any abatements they can give. Upon the 

 farm of Vollandre, the management was in all 

 points to be approved: economy prevailed in every 

 respect, except in the application of manure; the 

 occupier was in comfort and affluence, and yet his 

 rent was near 40s. by the plantation acre, and his 

 taxes triple those of the Irish farmer. The differ- 

 ence is to be found in established system, skilful 

 management, and unceasing industry. 



GAS USED AS FUEL FOR COOKING. 



Extract from a letter of Mr. John Barlow, one 

 of the most experienced and distinguished engi- 

 neers of London, dated on the 27th February 

 last. 



"There is one source of revenue to a coal gas 

 company, last coming into practical effect here, 



Vol. Ill— 2 



which promises to be of great importance, namely 

 cooking by gas; I know one family who have used 

 no other fuel for cooking for the last two years, 

 and another who for several years have never 

 lighted any other fire in their house, for any pur- 

 pose whatever, than gas, during the 3 or 4 hot 

 months, and they both say that it is cheaper, more 

 convenient, cleanlier and the cooking better. Hun- 

 dreds, and probably thousands of families will, in 

 this country, be supplied with gas lor cooking du- 

 ring the ensuing summer. They now roast, bake 

 and boil by gas. The heat is always ready when 

 wanted, and is extinguished when it is no longer 

 required: no dust, no preparation, nor any cleaning 

 up aflervvards; the cook can leave a joint of meat 

 either roasting or boiling, and never look at it again 

 till the clock inlbrms her it is time to take it up; I 

 know a family who regularly put their meat down, 

 and all go to chureh on Sunday, locking the 

 house up, and leaving a capital dinner to the care 

 of the gas. I dwell on this subject a little, because' 

 in my view, it is very important, and it behooves 

 directors and shareholders to give it every encour- 

 agement. 



LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY, 



The editors of the Baltimore American have 

 been favored with a report of the directors of this 

 work, and present theirreaders with a brief synopsis, 

 from which it appears that, during the half year 

 ending on the 31st December, the receipts were, 



Coaching department, 

 Merchandize do. 

 Coal do. 



The expenses of all kinds, during 

 the same period, were 



£60,292 7 4 



41,197 18 6 



3,408 16 4 



104,899 2 2 



64,552 15 7 



Net profit for six months, £40,346 6 7 



The directors in former reports have alluded to 

 the course which they had considered it expedient 

 to adopt of substituting heavier and stronger rails 

 in place of those which from time to time had been 

 bent or broken; owing to the service to which they 

 were subjected, from the speed and weight of the 

 engines, being far more severe than was original- 

 ly contemplated. From experience of the decided 

 superiority of these parts of the way which have 

 already been laid with the stronger rails, the direc- 

 tors feel the propriety of proceeding to re-lay with 

 stronger rails such portions of the line as have 

 from time to time to be taken up for the purposes 

 of substitutingstone blocks for the original wooden 

 sleepers, and they doubt not, in so doing, they shall 

 obtain the concurrence of the proprietors. 



By the foregoing statement of ac- 

 counts it appears that there is a 

 net disposable profit for the half 

 year of £40,346 6 7 



Which added to the surplus from 

 last half year 155 11 



Amounts to 



£40,501 17 7 



Of this sum the directors recommend that a 



